MOB RULE IN DARWIN.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16420, 14 January 1919, Page 5

MOB RULE IN DARWIN.

(fHOSI OUE OWN" COBRESPOKDEKT.) SYDNEY, December 30. The sensation of last week was the revolutionary development in. Datwin. At firsts Australia ■was full of rumours. It was known that something liad happenod in tho Northern Territory, and the commonest rumour had it that "the Bolshevists had taken possession of tho Territory and imprisoned the Administrator." The Federal Government, most unjustifiably 3 imposed a censorship on the newspapers, and they could publish nothing. Tho alarmist_ rumours, therefore, lost nothing in circulation. "\Vhen at last the censorship was lifted, it was found that matters wore not so bad as supposed, thougli bad enough. The trouble seems to have started with an increase in the price of Jjeer—a development that Las stirred to a mad' fury the good Labourites all over the " Commonwealth. (There was a_ new war tax on beer recently, and it is in process, of being passed on.) The hotels in the Territory are State-owned. Recently, the Administrator, Dr. Gilruth. —well known in New Zealand —raised the retail price of b©er to cover the new tax. Thereupon, Darwin went mad. The biggest body of workers there comprise tho employees of Vestey Brothers new meat works. They held a, meeting, and decided that their many grievances were more than they could' bear. Incidentally it may bo remarked i that, at these works, even unskilled l workers make £7 per week, while butchers on rio:ework draw about £lo per week. A procession of 400 excitec men started in procession for r.ne Ad- • ministrator's residence, follbwing a : motor-car in which was the Administrator in effigy. There were 700 by the time they arrived. They were all excited, and their manner was threatcnA deputation went m to interview the Administrator. They were inside nearly two hours, while the surging crowd' outside grew more impatient. Then they shouted for a progress report, and two members of the deputation came out and announced that "lie was the same D». Gilruth as we have known for the past five jrears"—in other words, tho big, dour Scotchman refused to be intimidated. The crowd howled its ftjry, and the deputation continued the interview. At last tho mob s patience gave way, and they sent in a demand that Dr. Gilruth come out and address them. He came out forthwith, advancing to ttye fence surrounding the Residency —which the constables had not allowed the mob to pass. He told them frankly what ho thought about their grievances, and said that their representations would be forwarded to the Minister, whose servant he wns. # He 'said he would leave when the Minister told him to do "eo, and not before. Tho mob 'howlod at hini, rushed-the fence, and swarmed over it. They disarmed the constables (one of • whom showed fight, and was knocked about) roughly handled the Administrator, wrecked some of the lattice windows, and pulled down the end of the tenuis court. , Eventually, their leaders got them under control and out of the grounds. They burned the effigy in the outside, made a further demonstration, demanded the immediate departure of the Administrator, and dispersed. The agitation has gono on constantly sinsjc then. So far, Dr. Gilruth remains in charge, and the Government has made no move. Out of the indignation at Darwin over the price of beor, has now arisen a definite demolid that the Administrator system—autocracy, they call it—be done away with, and Government carried on b.v a representative Provincial Council instead.